Car-coupling



(No Model.)

E. S.THOMAS & J. E. LITTLEJOHN.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 483,879; Patented Oct. 4, 1892;

I l mi v mvmtou' (6W M UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD STEPHEN THOMAS AND JOSEPH EDWARD LITTLEJOl-IN, OF

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 483,879, dated October 4, 1892.

Application filed May 6, 1892. Serial No. 432,030. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD STEPHEN THOMAS and J OSEPH EDWARD LITTLEJOHN, of Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Oar-Couplers; and we do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in automatic car-couplers; and it consists in certain novel features of construction, which will be fully described hereinafter, and pointed out in the claims.

The object of our invention is to provide a car-coupling, as hereinafter shown and described, whereby should the spring connected at the rear end thereof give away the coupler cannot become detached from the car, and to construct the draw-head with a spring-cavity and a spring for holding the pivoted jaw nor- -mally open and the outer edge or face of the jaw with cavities to receive projections formed upon the locking-pin when the jaw is open, the said projections resting between the said cavities when it is closed for holding it locked.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal horizontal section of a coupler embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a detached view of the locking-pin. Fig. 3 is a detached view of the pivoted jaw, showing the cavities in its outer face.

A indicates the bottom of the car, and B two longitudinal beams between which the drawhead and its rearward projecting portion are supported. Made through these beams horizontally are the slots 0, which are opposite each other, and applied to the inner and outer side of these slots are the metal plates D. The inner plates are preferably much thicker and stronger than the outerones. Also secured to the inner sides of these horizontal beams are two other plates E, which are about the same thickness as the inner plates D, and these plates E are placed considerably inside of the plates D. Connecting the upper and lower bar passes.

edges of these plates D and E are the bars F,

which are held in place by means of pins G,

which pass vertically through the ends of the platesandbars. These barsFsupporttheends of transverse vertical plates H, the outer one of which is provided with an opening through which the rear rounded portion I of the draw? Formed upon opposite ends of these plates H are lips or extensions, which rest upon the lower bars F. Placed around this rounded and reduced portion I of the draw-bar is a spiral spring J, which has its opposite ends engaging the inner faces of the plates H. A strap K has its endssecured to the upper and lower sides of the rear portion of the draw-bar just in front of the outer plate H, and then passes around the rear plate, as illustrated.

Made through the draw-bar extension M in front of the front plate H is a horizontal slot N, which registers with theslots 0, made through the beams B. Passing through these slots is a bar or pin 0, which is held in place by means of rings or pins P, which pass through its ends outside of the said beams B. By means of this construction should the strap which holds the rear end of the drawbar extension in place and upon which the draft of the car comes break the pin or bar 0, which passes through the draw-bar, would prevent it from becoming detached from the car, as will be readily understood.

Our coupler is of the twin-jaw type, and the draw-head Q is shaped in front, as illustrated, and provided at one side with two ears B, one above and the other below the outer end of the pivoted jaw S. This jaw S is provided at its inner end with a projection T, which is provided with a vertical pin-hole U, through which the-pivotal pin 01. passes. This pro jection T is outside of the inner end I) of the j aw, which latter extends inward to be engaged by the jaw of the adjacent coupler to be closed thereby. Formed in the draw-head, just in rear of this inner end b of the jaw, is a horizontal spring-cavity c, in which is placed a spiral or other suitable spring (1. This spring has its outer end to rest against the inner side of the inner end I) of the jaw, and thereby holds the said jaw normally open. The

locking-pin 6 passes vertically through the draw-bar, as shown, and just in front of the projection T. Just at this point the jaw is provided with one or more cavities f, which receive the projection or projections h of the pin 6. This pin has a vertical movement only equal to the height of the projection or projections upon the pin. When the pin is up, the projection or projections h of the pin 6 rest in the cavity or cavities f of the jaw, thus allowing the jaw to be thrown open by the expansion of the spring d, and the friction of the jaw against the pin holds it up until the inner end I) of the jaw is struck by the coupler of an adjoining car, when the outer end of the jaw is forced inward, and then the pin instantly drops down, which throws the projection or projections thereof between the cavities of the jaw, thus holding the jaw locked inward, and the two cars are thus automatically coupled.

When it is desired to uncouple the cars, it is only necessary to raise slightly upon the pin, when the projections thereof will register with the cavities of the jaw and allow the aw to be thrown open by the spring or drawn open by the adjoining car.

For the purpose of making the draw-head as light as possible and at the same time strong we provide the side '11 thereof with ribs m, as shown, instead of making it solid, and form upon the top of the coupling a cavity n, which leaves vertical flanges to strengthen it, while at the same time it is made much lighter than if made solid in the usual manner.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A car-coupler consisting of a draw-head having a jaw-cavity in its front end, a rearward extension having a spring-holding cavity communicating with the jaw-cavity, a jaw substantially U-shaped in plan and pivoted at its outer side, the inner extension of the U shape projecting over the said springcavity, and a spring within the cavity and engaging the said inner extension, substantially as specified.

2. A car-coupler consisting of a draw-head having a jaw-cavity and a pivotal pin opening between its ends, and alocking-pin in front of the said pivotal opening and engaging the outer side-of the said jaw, the jaw having a cavity and the pin a projection which enters the said cavity when the jaw is open and engages the space adjacent to the cavity when closed, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A car-coupler consisting of a draw-head having a jaw cavity or recess, a jaw substantially U-shaped in plan, a pivotal projection between the ends of the said U-shaped jaw and extending outward, and a locking-pin in front of the said projection which engages the outer side of the said jaw, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD STEPHEN THOMAS. JOSEPH EDWARD LITTLEJOHN. W'itnesses:

WILLIAM JosEPH GIBNEY, JOSEPH Moon 

